Bike shop Downey: why a beach cruiser

Cruisers are popular at our bike shop Downey with recreational riders of all ages because of their affordability, simplicity and comfort. Times have changed since their birth in the Great Depression, but cruisers remain among the lowest priced bicycles for everyday people. If you want to get the great benefits of cycling for fitness, running errands, or the enjoyment of lazy beach rides, the cruiser offers a relaxed ride at an affordable price. Depending on your needs and price range, you may want to get a multispeed cruiser, add a cushy seat, or check out some of the special lights and baskets available for beach cruisers. The cruisers of today are not just for kids, and come in all varieties.
Consumer Reports recommends purchasing your bike from a local bicycle retailer rather than a big box store. Budget general purpose stores cut corners by selling bicycles that do not hold up to regular riding conditions. Even a low-priced cruiser at a quality local specialty shop will be made with good components that will last you through the years.

Bike shop Santa Fe Spings: Variations on the beach cruiser

Our bike shop Santa Fe Springs knows  the cruiser is a favorite of designers and tinkerers. Its simple design makes it easy to modify. The cruiser base has served as the platform for many innovations in bicycles including the earliest mountain bike models, BMX bikes, commuter bikes, lowriders, and chopper style bicycles.
While the cruisers baby boomers remember riding as kids were single speed, today’s beach cruisers are developed with more than seaside pedaling in mind. We have cruisers with multi-speed drivetrains, suspension seatposts and forks, fenders, and super cushy seats.  
People who own cruisers love comfort and flair, and no cruiser is really complete until accessorized with special baskets, seats, bells, and covers. Customization is wildly popular in cruisers, including all colors, special paint details, modifications, and custom lights for maximum beach or street style.

Bike shop Downey: Intro to the beach cruiser

At our bike shop Downey, we sell all kinds of bikes.  The Beach Cruiser is one style with lasting popularity.
The beach cruiser bicycle was designed for recreational beach riding in the 1930’s. The cruiser is an upright bicycle with basic steel frame, single speed drive train, and balloon tires to resist sinking into soft terrain like Cali beach sand. Cruisers enjoyed popularity from their introduction in the 30's through the 1960's.
The 1970’s-1990’s saw a decline in cruiser sales as the two-car family became the norm, and fewer people were riding for leisure or running errands around town. Since the mid-1990’s, they have become the bicycling comeback kid, with the contemporary interpretation keeping the classy retro styling. Today they are one of the hottest bicycles on the market, appreciated by a broad range of riders for casual or short rides. If comfort, affordability, mechanical simplicity, and plenty of style are your priorities in a bicycle, look no further than the beach cruiser.

Bike shop Santa Fe Springs: Top ten bike wrecks- #10

Our bike shop Downey exposes the top ten bike wrecks, from Bicyclesafe.com. Find expanded info on their site.
#10 Rear End
A car runs into you from behind. This is what many cyclists fear the most, but it's actually not very common, comprising only 3.8% of collisions. However, it's one of the hardest collisions to avoid, since you're not usually looking behind you.

How to avoid this wreck:

1. Get a rear light. If you're riding at night, you absolutely should use a flashing red rear light. Bruce Mackey (formerly of Florida, now head of bike safety in Nevada) says that 60% of bike collisions in Florida are caused by cyclists riding at night without lights. In 1999, 39% of deaths on bicycles nationwide occurred between 6 p.m. and midnight. [USA Today, 10-22-01, attributed to the Insurance Institute for highway safety]

2. Wear a reflective vest or a safety triangle. High quality reflective gear makes you a lot more visible even in the day time, not just at night. 

3. Choose wide streets. Ride on streets whose outside lane is wide enough for a car and a bike side by side. That way a car may zoom by you and avoid hitting you, even if they didn't see you!

4. Choose slow streets.The slower a car is going, the more time the driver has to see you. Especially on weekends, avoid arterials.

5. Get a mirror. Get a mirror and use it. If it looks like a car doesn't see you, hop off your bike and onto the sidewalk.

6. Don't hug the curb. This is counter-intuitive, but give yourself a little space between yourself and the curb. That gives you some room to move into. This prevents a number of common accidents.

Get the safety gear you need from Pat's 605 Cyclery.

Bike shop Downey: Top ten bike wrecks-#9 The Rear End

Our bike shop Downey is posting tips from Bicyclesafe.com about avoiding the most common bike wrecks.
Wreck #9: The Rear End
 

You move slightly to the left to go around a parked car or some other obstruction in the road, and you get nailed by a car from behind.

How to avoid this wreck:

1. Never, ever move left without looking behind you first. Some motorists like to pass cyclists within mere inches, so moving even slightly to the left could put you in the path of a car. Practice holding a straight line while looking over your shoulder until you can do it perfectly. Most new cyclists tend to move left when they look behind them, which of course can be disastrous.

2. Don't swerve in and out of the parking lane if it contains any parked cars. You may be tempted to ride in the parking lane, dipping back into the traffic lane when you encounter a parked car. This puts you at risk for getting nailed from behind. Instead, ride a steady, straight line in the traffic lane.

3. Use a mirror. If you don't have one, get one from a bike shop immediately. There are models that fit on your handlebars, helmet, or glasses. You should always physically look back over your shoulder before moving left, but having a mirror will help you monitor traffic without looking behind you.

4. Signal. Never move left without signaling. Just put your left arm straight out.

Bike shop Downey: Top ten bike wrecks- #8 Bike shop Downey: Top ten bike wrecks-#7 The Left Cross

Our bike shop Downey is doing a blog series exposing the most common bike wreck scenarios, from Bicyclesafe.com.

#7 The Left CrossA car coming towards you makes a left turn right in front of you, or into you. 

  How to avoid this wreck:

 1. Don't ride on the sidewalk. 

 When you come off the sidewalk to cross the street, you're invisible to turning motorists.

2. Get a headlight. Front headlights are needed for night time riding. It's required by law most places. They can increase your visibility in the day too.

3. Wear something bright, even during the day. It may seem silly, but bikes are small and easy to see through even during the day. Yellow or orange reflective vests really make a big difference. Reflective leg bands are also easy and inexpensive.

4. Don't pass on the right. Don't overtake slow-moving vehicles on the right. Doing so makes you invisible to left-turning motorists at intersections. Passing on the right is dangerous for a number of reasons.

5. Slow down. If you can't make eye contact with the driver, slow down enough to completely stop if necessary. It may be inconvenient, but it beats getting hit.

Bike shop Santa Fe Springs: Top ten bike wrecks- #7 The Right Hook part 2

Our bike shop Santa Fe Springs is running a series of blogs exposing the top ten situations that cause bike wrecks, drawing from Bicyclesafe.com. You're passing a slow-moving car (or another bike) on the right, when it unexpectedly makes a right turn right into you, entering a parking lot, driveway or side street.

How to avoid this wreck:

1. Don't pass on the right. This collision is very easy to avoid. Just don't pass any vehicle on the right. If a car ahead of you is going only 10 mph, then you slow down, too, behind it. Pass on the left when it's safe to do so.

When passing cyclists on the left, announce "on your left" before you start passing. If they're riding too far to the left for you to pass safely on the left, then announce "on your right" before passing on the right.

Use extreme caution passing stopped cars at a light. They cannot see you approaching, and someone could fling open a door.

When tailing a slow-moving vehicle, ride behind it, not in its blindspot. Allow enough room to brake if a car in front of you turns right.

2. Look behind you before turning right. Here's your opportunity to avoid hitting cyclists who violate tip #1 above and try to pass you on the right.

Bike shop Downey: Top ten bike wrecks- #6 The Right Hook

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Our bike shop Downey is running a series about the top ten situations that cause bike wrecks, from Bicyclesafe.com.

#6 The Right HookA car passes you and then tries to make a right turn directly in front of you, or right into you. They think you're not going very fast just because you're on a bicycle, so it never occurs to them that they can't pass you in time. This wreck is difficult to avoid because you typically have little response time, and because there's nowhere for you to go when it happens.

How to avoid this wreck:

1. Don't ride on the sidewalk. When you come off the sidewalk to cross the street you're invisible to motorists. 

2. Ride to the left. Taking up the whole lane makes it harder for drivers to pass you to cut you off or turn into you. Don't feel bad about taking the lane: if motorists didn't threaten your life by turning in front of or into you or passing you too closely, then you wouldn't have to. If the lane you're in isn't wide enough for cars to pass you safely, then you should be taking the whole lane anyway. Lane position is discussed in depth on Bicyclesafe.com.

3. Check mirror before approaching an intersection. If you don't have a handlebar or helmet mirror, get one now.) Be sure to look in your mirror before you get to the intersection. When you enter an intersection, you need to be look forward.

Celebrate National Bike Month with Pats605 Cyclery!

May is National Bicycle Month and we want to celebrate with you.  Stop by the shop for a tuneup, deck out in some new gear, or even find that new bicycle you have been dreaming of so we can get you out on the road to enjoy in the beautiful summer weather rolling in.  Visit the League of American Bicyclists Website and find out about free events in your area happening all month long including National Bike to Work Day on May 18th.  Cycling is all about adventure, sharing your passion with other riders, and getting out there for some thrilling rides.  Its time to dust off your bike in the garage and hit the road with Pats605.

Celebrate Mothers Day with Pats605 Cyclery

Spoil That Special Mom in Your Life With a New Crusier & Recieve a FREE Basket with Purchase
Can you imagine how excited and surprised your Mom or Wife would be if you got her one of these styling bicycles for Mother's day?  Beach Cruisers are all the rage, easy to use, provide exercise and fun, and can even save their cost in gas.

Once you buy a cruiser, it's time to accessorize it for fun and to enhance every part of the experience.  Try some fun bells, baskets, basket liners and you'll also need a helmet and a pump.  The super fat tires are very low psi, so they need to be pumped up once in a while.

Bike shop Downey: Top ten bike wrecks- #5 Red Light of Death

Our bike shop Santa Fe Springs is running a series on our blog exposing the top ten situations that cause bike wrecks, from Bicyclesafe.com.

Wreck #5: Red Light of Death

You stop to the right of a car at a red light or stop sign. They can't see you. When the light turns green, you proceed, and then they turn right, hitting you.
This can happen with any size of vehicle, but this scenario is especially dangerous when it's a bus or other large vehicle that you're stopping next to. An Austin cyclist was killed in 1994 when he stopped to the right of a semi, and it turned right. He was crushed under its wheels.

 

How to avoid this wreck: Don't stop in a vehicle's blindspot.
Simply stop behind a car, instead of to the right of it, as per the diagram below. See how visible this cyclist will be on all sides? The care behind them will see them directly in front.

Bike shop Downey: Top ten bike wrecks- #4 The Wrong Way Wreck

Our bike shop Downey is running a series of posts exposing the top ten scenarios of bike wrecks. More info on Bicyclesafe.com.

#4 The Wrong Way Wreck
You are riding the wrong way, against traffic. A car makes a right turn from a side street, driveway, or parking lot, right into you. They didn't see you because they were looking for traffic only on their left, not on their right. They don't expect someone coming at them from the wrong direction.

Or, you could be hit by a car on the same road coming at you from straight ahead of you. Riding towards cars gives them less response time.

How to avoid this wreck:

Don't ride against traffic. Ride with traffic, in the same direction.

Riding against traffic may seem like a good idea because you can see the cars that are passing you, but it's not. For more explanation about why, check out the Bicyclesafe.com website.

Bike shop Downey: Top ten bike wrecks- #3 The Crosswalk Slam

Our bike shop Downey is running this series of posts about most common wrecks from Bicyclesafe.com.
#3 The Crosswalk Slam
You're riding on the sidewalk, and enter a crosswalk. A car makes a right turn, right into you.
Drivers will not expect bikes in the crosswalk, and it's hard for them to see you when turning from one street to another, so this is a very easy way for you to get hit.  One study showed that sidewalk-riding was twice as dangerous as road riding, and another study said it's even more dangerous than that.

How to avoid this wreck:

1. Get a headlight. If you're riding at night, a headlight is absolutely essential. It's required by law, anyway.

2. Slow down. Slow down enough that you're able to stop completely if necessary.

3. Don't ride on the sidewalks.  Crossing between sidewalks is a fairly dangerous maneuver. If you do it on the left-hand side of the street, you risk getting slammed as per the diagram. If you do it on the right-hand side of the street, you risk getting slammed by a car behind you that's turning right.  Sidewalk riding also makes you vulnerable to cars pulling out of parking lots or driveways.

Bike shop Santa Fe Springs: Top ten bike wrecks- #2 The Door Prize

Our bike shop Santa Fe Springs is running a series of blogs exposing the top ten situations that cause bike wrecks, drawing from Bicyclesafe.com.
The #2 most common bike wreck? The Door Prize
A driver opens his door right in front of you.  If you don't have time to stop, you'll slam into it. 
This kind of crash is more common than you might think:  It's the second-most common car-bike crash in Toronto,and the #1 crash Santa Barbara. Bicyclesafe.com has made a list of cyclists killed by running into open car doors.

How to avoid this wreck:

Ride to the left! Ride far enough to the left that you won't run into any door that's opened unexpectedly. Riding to the left will help you avoid several of the top wrecks.

Bike shop Downey: Top ten bike wrecks- #1 The Right Cross

Our bike shop Downey is running a series of blog posts exposing the top ten situations that cause bike wrecks, drawing from Bicyclesafe.com.
We begin with the number one most common bike wreck: The Right CrossIt goes like this: a vehicle is pulling out of a side street, parking lot, or driveway on the right.  Notice this collision can happen two ways:  1.) you are in front of the car and the car hits you, or 2.) the car pulls out in front of you and you slam into it.
How to avoid this wreck:
1. Get a headlight. A good headlight is essential at night, but can increase your visibility in the day as well.
2. Get the driver's attention. Catch their eye, ring your bell, wave, whatever it takes.
3. Slow down. Stop if necessary.
4. Ride further to the left. Many riders feel safer riding towards the right shoulder of the road, but moving further to the left can actually prevent many of the most common bike wrecks. The "B" line in the diagram above is the safest place to ride.